Fence-making machine



(Model. 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. D. I. WOOD.

FENCE MAKINGMAGHINB.

Patented Jan. 4,1887.

DAVID IRVING \VOOD, OF PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA.

FENCE-MAKING'MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 355,429, dated January 1-, 1887, Application filed September 30, 1886. Serial No. 214,940. (Mode-l.)

T all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DAVID IRVING W001), a citizen of the United States, residing at Petersburg, in the county of Dinwiddie and State of Improvements in Fence Making Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to machines for build ing fences composed of wires, pickets, and posts.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap and durable fence-making machine for straining, crossing,and twisting wires between and against pickets in the construction of a fence. I attain this object by means ofthe peculiar construction and arrangement of the various parts of my device, which will be more fully pointed out and described in the specification and claims, reference being had to the drawings accompanying this specification and forming part of the same, in which- Figure l isa side elevation of my invention, showing the crosser, the reels,wire,and pickets. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of frame, showing reels. Fig. 3 is a sectional side view of the reel-frame. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the twister or crosser. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the lever and lever-wheel of reel, and Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view.

Similar letters refer to like parts throughout the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a series of fence-posts set in the ground at intervals in the usual form, and numbered 1 2 '3. To the end post No. 1 are securely fastened the ends of wires D,which are stretched along 0 the face of post 2 and pass on either side of post 3, and are coiledaround shafts a, that are journaled in a frame, B, singly orin sets of two or more,usually one shaft or reel carrying two wires, one or more reels placed near the 5 top of post 3, one or more at the center, and one or more near the bottom of said post.

Frame B is placed on the side of post 3 in line with the strung wire,and the journaled shafts are provided withcentral wheels, B, that have recesses a cut in their peripheries,and lip c of each slot extends outward beyond the opposite edge of the recess, forming a stop or catch,

Virginia, have invented certain new and useful.

against which the movable bars B strike and hold, the wheels B revolving in opposite direction after they have been turned toward said bars by the levers'd, said levers being formed to fit endwise in slots or recesses c,and their opposite ends, projecting outward, are moved by the operator to turn the wheels B and tighten the wires D, as shown in Fig. 1.

The frame B is provided with inclined slots out in opposite sides of the uprights, to receive loosely the ends of movable bars B and permit of their free movement to and fromthe lips of recesses c as the wheels B are revolved toward the bars to tighten the wires D. The extension of the peripheries of wheels B moves the bars B at an inclination upward until a projectinglip,c,is reached,when the bars B by gravity fall down against the lips c and hold the wheels B stationary. By this construction and movement the wires D are tightened to the extent desired.

The operation of twisting or crossing the wires D is performed by a crosser, which is formed of a straight-wooden beam, E, having three or more arms projecting at right angles, each having a perforation in its outer end formed to receive a pivot-pin, e, on which is pivoted metal plates 6'. Said plates are each provided with an inclined slot, f, cut in from one edge near the pivot-pins e. The opposite ends of said plates have curved slots f cut in from the edge. ceive the wires D when the crosser is in use for crossing 0r twisting the wires. The outer face of beam E is provided with a knob-handle, g, by which it is operated.

In use the operator stands in front of wires D and the posts 1, 2, and 3. The orosser is close to the wires, in a vertical position, with the plates e closed inward. The wires D areinserted in the slots f and f below the arms proj ecting from beam E, when the operator, grasping the knob g, forcing the beam E upward, throws the inner ends of plates 6 outward until they are inline with the projecting arms on which they are pivoted, which movement crosses the wires D, when a paling or picket, h, is inserted between said wires ma vertical position. A downward movement of beam E by the operator crosses the wires D in opposite direction, binding the picket placed between Said slots are formed to re the wires D securely in place. Then a further downward movement of beam E crosses the wires D- again. Then an upward movement of said beam brings plates 6 to same position started from. An easy movement of beam E is obtained by placing the knotgnear the top end of said beam. Afterthe posts are set and the Wires attached and tightened by the lever and reels, as before stated, the pickets are inserted between the wires and the crosser used as described, the erosser being moved along the wires in front of the pickets as they are set.

The purpose of the vertical bars as, secured outside the frame, is to pre ent the sliding stop-bars from moving laterally, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

each reel provided with a Wheel having a recessed periphery adapted to receive one end of a lever, and projecting lips, and sliding stop-bars working in slots in the reel-frame, substantially as shown and described. 2. A fence-making machine consisting of a series of reels carrying wire journaled in a verticalframe, each reel having a Wheel provided with recesses adapted to receive alever, and with outwardly-extending lips, and aiever and stop-bars sliding in said frame, in combination with a straight-beam crosser having projecting arms carrying pivoted and slotted plates adapted to receive fence-wires,substan-' tially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signaturein p resenee of two witnesses. 4

DAVID IRVING WVOOD.

WVitnesses:

R. VJ. DE HAVEN, O. H. PYLE. 

